Tuesday, February 12, 2008

I sat down last night to write something for the site...and I had nothing to say.

Oh, sure, I could have scrounged something up but it would have been forced. Putting something up just to put something up. And I never want to do that. Not for myself - or for you.

Especially for you, the MZone reader.

It's funny in that none of us have met except via these comments and emails I receive, but I genuinely feel I "know" many of you. And since you are so dedicated in coming here, I don't ever want to betray that trust by putting up shit or just phoning it in.

I guess I'm a little burned out (coupled with coming up with stuff for a cfb blog in February).

Yost Dahling, the tone you have has an eerie sound to it, sort of like.........you are considering.........other options that might cause MUCH grief for the readership. Please know that we don't expect much in the off season......and T9 has it nailed.......Bring on the half naked girls (not for me, but for the boys) and a few half naked (or even all naked would be fine as well) boys. :o)

February seems to be a rough month for most northerners. We lose football. Basketball is in the midst of it's meaninglessly long season. Hockey doesn't get the coverage or respect it deserves. And ESPN does nothing but talk about steroid users and baseball players making more money than God. It's understandable that there may be a time where there's just nothing to say. During those times I suggest just winging something by us. I enjoy the humorous off color comments about things that we may never hear/read about. Casual news stories whether related to A2 or MI or not at all. Don't beat yourself up on trying to please us with every post since as has been shown in the My Apologies we will just tend to rant and rave about whatever we want anyway. I have noticed that there's a select bunch of people who seem to be constants here. It has become like a community and I am glad to have found it. Keep up the good work.

Catie(Katie) as has been said in other posts words cannot express the sorrow we all feel for you and your family. You are endearing one of the most challenging times for a human being I am sure. In your mind take small solace that you always have friends at the Mzone to talk to.

On a side note: New MI fan arriving soon. More to come in the next few days hopefully.

Hang in there, Yost. All of us bloggers hit the wall once in a while. It's tiring coming up with content day after day. It's easy when the season is in full swing, but then it's over and suddenly you have to start using your brain again. I've felt a little burnt out myself lately.

I hate the offseason. I am happy that we finally won a basketball game on Saturday, though. That was sweet. And I learned that a true supporter continues to cheer on his team even if the wins will not get the team into a bowl game or a tourney. So yay, life lessons through sports.

What is that "please stand by" screen originally from? I've seen it before. I know that it was on mgoblog after The Catastrophe, and then followed by pictures of kittens soon thereafter.

Yost - sure it's not football, but your pre-season ranked Wolverines are getting ready to take the diamond and try to improve on last season's success.I saw your girls took a heartbreaker from us in Boca over the weekend.

In the mean time, I think I have found Joe Tiller's special Snake Oil recipe:* Most wins all time* Highest winning percentage all time* 11 National Championships* 42 Big Ten Championships* 33 Straight bowl games* 126 All Americans* 357 NFL draft picks* 47 1st round draft picks* 3 Super Bowl MVPs* Highest home attendance for 32 of the last 33 years* 200+ games straight over 100K attendees*40 staight seasons without a losing record* The largest scoring delta (points for minus points against) in college football history* New coach and staff with an exciting style of play

It is amazing that RR was able to convince any recruit to come Ann Arbor...

Can we please talk amongst ourselves about kevin Hart, the dude from nevada who threw himself a press conference to announce his commitment to Cal...which never recruited him? That story has been amazing.

Also, worry not. Yost will be back. I know the man, I know his pains...and he will be back. He ALWAYS comes back.

If you ever get any advertisers, you could use days like this for a plugola-type, shameless review, e.g.:

"I originally bought a Dyson Vacuum--whose logo on on the sidebar--just because I wanted to be classy and cool like that British guy on TV. But I actually used it today, because the maid is off, and folks, I gotta tell you, it really SUCKS!!!"

I don't know if you guys have done anything like this before, but maybe for the offseason you guys could go through each conference and give out certain awards. For example, best mascot, best uniform, best helmet, best tradition, best coach, best fight song, etc. It would take some work but I bet it would be a great read.

Yost-Think of it like being in a relationship. It should enhance the quality of your life, not define it or be a burden. Sometimes it's easy, sometimes it takes a lot of work, and sometimes you just need some time alone. Go get your alone time man- the content you put up is appreciated.

Hey Zen,"Or, um, you could put up a picture of a hot chick and ask if she's bangable...."

"Weird sort of way" gets too iffy- plus an entire list like that is a bit too misogynistic for me- I prefer my ogling general and vague- it helps stave off the restraining orders. :P

I say we start a "Just for the Story" list. A) It doesn't preclude the women and B) imagine the conversation it would propagate.

For instance: An example for the ladies: Bill Clinton. Come on, you girls can't tell me you'd pass up a chance at the Billster, even if it were "just for the story".

For the guys: The Easter Bunny. Play your cards right on that one and you might get to meet her cousin the Playboy Bunny and start partying at the mansion. And that, my friend, could land you all kinds of tail.

Visit HERE and vote on, "If Queen Latifah loses twenty pounds on Jenny Craig, will she then be "bangable."

Thank you, Julius Caesar, for introducting the subjunctive tense to the British Isles, or I don't know how I would have constructed that sentence.

Wait--what am I thinking?

Guys on a football page--who watch football at Hooters while their wife is barefoot and pregnant and leaning over a hot stove, ready to drop her tenth rug rat--are "not misogynistic enough" to participate in that kind of survey!!

Degrees from Baconesque it may be, but Catie, the Queen Latifah reference reminded me of Steve Martin, which reminded me of his touching story in last month's Reader's Digest about his last few moments with his Dad. May give you something to take your mind off specific things while at the same time help you reflect on other things.

Was it this blog that once said something about not old enough yet for a Reader's Digest subscription (I think it was either at the start of the 06 season, or late 05.

T- just right click the image and do a "save as" to your desktop. If you need to do a google search and find the same image, then do the same thing you're doing. Must be getting lost in translation somewhere from photobucket. And mine's still in the works- teaching myself photoshop/gimp.

Zone,Marisa Miller. Best idea I've heard yet. She's the hottest woman on earth currently in her 20's. (30's being Kate Beckinsale, and 40's Diane Lane).

I didn't read all the comments, but noticed some reference to Queen Latifah, You all do realize that it is MUCH better to have a little something to grab a hold of when you scream for ecstasy right? Just sayin....

Dying is hard work, watching someone die, might be harder. We are still here, sitting vigil. It has not been a great day, except that it is a good to bring a family together, even for something this difficult. I appreciated all your words of support, it feels good to have friends here in cyber space. I bow to each of you. Thank you.

Now.....bring on the photo contest, and remember yost, I am a hands and arms gal.....;o)

Yost...that's difference between bloggers and real journalists. If you worked for Washington Post or were a hack sports Op Ed guy for the Freep, you wouldn't have this "journalistic integrity" issue and you'd just half-ass something if there were no real stories out there.

It's not too bad of a month for sports. After all, pitcher and catchers report to spring training soon. The Lions are already elminated from the playoffs for next year. The Tigers will be in contention. The Red Wings are tooling up for another run at the Cup. Don't follow that other sport.

You could always look at Drew, I'm sure he's said something that will get your blood boiling.

Okay, here's a new topic. I put up a post on mgoblog a few days ago talking about how it would make sense for Notre Dame and Penn State to join the Big East. I figured that maybe it would provide us with something having to do with CFB to talk about, and I get the chance to share one of my ideas. Plus I don't have to talk about my disappointment over the Super Bowl, which was similar to the Appalachian St experience (same embarrassment). Oops, I just did.

As you may know, PSU was denied entry into the Big East in 1982 because the conference was focusing on basketball. Notre Dame, on the other hand, is in the Big East only for basketball. After BC, Va Tech, and Miami left the Big East in 2004, PSU and ND declined offers for membership. I hadn't read this yet when I put up my post, but my reasoning still holds up. A reposting of my post follows in the next post. And yes, I am probably a bit full of myself.

Penn State and Notre Dame should join the Big East. This isn't meant as disrespect to PSU; PSU is great to have in the Big 10. My reasoning is that it just makes sense.

Who are PSU's rivals in the Big 10? OSU and MSU? Just because they all have the word "state" in their names? Oh, and PSU hates Michigan. Join the club. PSU's natual rivals are Pitt, Syracuse (I think), and Temple--all Big East teams (at least Temple used to be until it got kicked out). Plus there is a little rivalry brewing with ND (or just home-and-home series?).

PSU isn't completely at home in the Big 10. PSU possibly has benefited from greater TV exposure, but PSU is sort of seen as part of the little 9, not as one of the Big 3 (or 4?).

Another thing is that the rotating schedule sucks. All Big 10 teams should play one another. Also, Notre Dame should join a league already. It's in the Big East in basketball; join for football too. The major rivalries with Notre Dame could be retained--USC, UM, MSU--and then it could throw in an extra OOC opponent. (It would have the same schedule every year--surely not appealing to the Domers.)

All right a conference realignment post. I like reasons that were given for PSU to be in the Big East. As for Notre Dame though they are in the middle of Big Ten country. Part of me wants them in the Big Ten and the other part says no. The reasons for being in the Big ten is that so many of their games are against Big Ten teams. I also would like the Big 10 to be ten teams for the simple reason that adding another conference game would require all schools to play against each other. In that case Notre Dame in the Big Ten does not work. So I am agreeing with you Feelin' blue.

I just noticed that Notre Dame has a formal rivalry with Purdue, as the two have played each other every year for about 80 years. If Notre Dame does join the Big East, it would probably be if Penn State does not join because ND would then have more flexibility in its OOC schedule. I like the rivalry with ND and I wouldn't want to weasel out of it, but it would make sense for either that rivalry or the Purdue rivalry to be dropped, depending on which one ND takes the most seriously. I want the ND rivalry to continue, and so do UM and ND, as indicated by their recent contract.

Distance is not really an issue; remember that USF and Cincy are in the Big East (and Miami used to be), and ND has plenty of money for travel. But Edgar raises an important point: ND is more of a midwestern school than PSU. A lot of ND's rivalries--UM, Purdue, MSU--are "natural."

Yost, take as long a break as you need. We'll still be here. And if you still feel the need to toss up some posts, well, video clips of famous UM wins (like that first Lloyd Carr game against Virginia) always brings smiles to every wolverine face.

One problme that is usually never mentioned by most people proposing conference restructuring is that it is based off media markets. The Big Ten controls some of the most desiable media markets in the country: Chicago and the parts of the North East. All other conferences just do not have the television numbers that the Big Ten does. If the Big Ten were to expand Notre Dame would be an obvious fit since it would increase the media market to an ungodly level. But Feelin' Blue already pointed out having eleven teams creates an unbalanced schedule. The question to be asked is, "if Notre Dame were to join the Big Ten which school should also join in order to create a 12 team conference and what should the new name of the conference be?" For the second part of the question I would rename the Big 10 the Great Lakes Conference. For the first part of the question I would say have Boston College in the new conference that way there is an increase in the media markets and also to be the evil Catholic foil to Notre Dame.

Basically, ND agreed a few years ago to play 3 teams in the Big East, but told the commissioner, "this doesn't mean that we're together."

I can't stand the bullshit about ND's tradition. It's such a cheap excuse for it to remain independent. Guess what? There are so many other teams out there with even richer tradition: Michigan, OSU, Tennessee, Clemson, PSU...the list goes on and on. Maybe the emphasis on tradition is a Catholic thing.

I think that it makes the most sense for PSU to leave the Big 10 for the Big East, which has 8 teams that include a few PSU rivals. It just isn't very beneficial for PSU b/c it would lose out on TV exposure. PSU probably wouldn't lose money b/c it would have an easier time winning the Big East and going to a BCS game.

This whole situation makes something very clear: there is something out there that is always bigger than tradition...$$$$$. ND is full of shit. They just have to win 9 games and they are all but assured a BCS appearance and a big payout.

""if Notre Dame were to join the Big Ten which school should also join in order to create a 12 team conference ...?"

Edgar,The conference already has 11 teams and has since Penn St. joined. The addition of ND would thereby make it 12.

Feelin Blue, Ohio State and Michigan State aren't PSU's rivals becasue they all have state in the name. OSU is a natural rival being in a neighboring state. MSU has developed into a rival because they the schools are very similar in culture and size (this is also the reason for them to fit into the Big 10 instead of the Big East), they're both 2nd tier Big 10teams, and OSU and UofM already have each other. Monetarily it wouldn't make sense for Penn state either.

Speaking of money, ND will never join a football conference without being able to keep their huge TV revenue- it's simply too lucrative, and no conference will admit them without a piece of the pie. Unless they have 10 seasons in a row just like this last one and NBC starts losing its ass and subsequently drops them, well, I don't see it happening in our lifetime.

Your best argument here for contraction of the Big Ten would be Northwestern, and that's not happening either.

As for the number of programs with their tradition, not many even come close. Clemson and Tennessee? No way.

For ND the tradition of being an independent is what defines them. Down here in the land of the BIG 12 South we know a little about tradition with schools like Texas, A & M, and OU. Even going back to the Southwest conference days with TCU, SMU, and Arkansas tradition was regional. Notre Dame, for good or bad, has been the exception. It also helped Notre Dame that they have played against the big time programs in some of the biggest games. Who ruined OU's 47 game winning streak? Notre Dame. After lifting their post season bowl game ban who did Notre Dame play in 1970? Texas. They have been involved in other big games, but I decided to show my regional bias. At one point Notre Dame was almost a yearly national title contender. Not any more. I do not think it is right for Notre Dame to be given a free pass on account of its rich history that it gained as an independent. If Weis does not turn that program around Notre Dame will have to join a conference. The conference that makes the most sense is the Big Ten. If PSU does not leave that will create a very scary easern division. PSU, OSU, UM, MSU, Notre Dame, and either Purdue or Indiana. Purdue makes the most sense since than Notre Dame will have three of its five rivals in the same conference. The other two being USC and Navy.

The NBC contract with ND could continue should ND join a conference, but the problem for ND is that it would have to share the revenues. It's crap and it's greedy, but a business move that causes a loss of revenue does not make sense.

Edgar, it doesn't really matter if ND could have faced the SWC teams in a bowl game as an independent or not. Miami gave Nebraska (Big 8) and ND some memorable games before joining a conference in 1991, after which it continued to be successful. (The 2001 team might be the best team in all of CFB history despite having Coker as coach--look at the roster.)

Because of the abundance of bowl games and the BCS, ND can face anyone in the postseason whether or not it is in a conference.

My point is that many teams have been independent and have even sacrificed some rivalry to join a conference. We agree that ND is not special for being independent. ND has a great tradition, but the school needs to get over itself. It is no more special than most other programs out there.

I just find it ridiculous how NBC buys into ND's bullshit. In a way, NBC deserved the 3-9 season.

Also, I don't like the 12-team format. Conference championship games are not so great, I like having UM-OSU on the LAST week, and every team should play one another, pure and simple. In a way, it is not as bad in the Big 12 because it used to be the Big 8 and SWC, but still.

What it comes down to is the CFB schedule should be extended, something that only exists in a fantasy world where there is a 12-team playoff (bye-weeks for top 4 teams), Big East and Big 10 both have 10 teams each, and the season is longer.

BTW, I am actually impressed with the 2008 Florida Gators' schedule. They play Hawaii first (much weaker Warriors team though), then Miami (FL), and at FSU for the regular season finale. Oh yeah, and they play Citadel, one of the tougher D I-AA opponents. They don't play Auburn or Alabama though.

The problem with the NBC contract with ND is that even with ND having crappy 3-9 seasons they will never lack for TV viewers. They have many fans across the country and non-ND fans will always tune in to watch them get their ass kicked. Thus, unless ND has several 3-9 seasons in a row, I think their TV ratings on NBC will always be relatively high.

That being said, I think they should be in a conference. In fact, as CFB slowly (and I mean at a dead snails pace) moves towards a football playoff, conference affiliations and championships could become more important. A potential playoff could be set up for conference champions only (or something to that effect) leaving ND as an independent out in the cold.

What pisses me off about ND's contract with the Big East is that they are still eligible to compete in some of the BE bowl tie-ins. I forget the exact formula, but that is just crap.

As a fan of a Big East team (WVU) I have hated the Big East's grovelling to Notre Dame. If Notre Dame doesn't make the BCS then they automatically take one of the Big East bowl bids (which are not that great after the BCS bid and Gator Bowl anyway). I have never understood why the Big East agreed to this, unless they thought ND would eventually join the Big East. The Big East should leverage the other sports against them, mainly basketball. Notre Dame doesn't need the Big East in football, but they do need the basketball league.

"BTW, I am actually impressed with the 2008 Florida Gators' schedule. They play Hawaii first (much weaker Warriors team though), then Miami (FL), and at FSU for the regular season finale. Oh yeah, and they play Citadel, one of the tougher D I-AA opponents. They don't play Auburn or Alabama though."

That would've been a great schedule about ten years ago. I know this is a sensitive subject around here but are we really giving teams credit for playing "tougher D I-AA opponents" now.

For Ye who wanted to know, the test screen is used in the film, "Pleasantville".

Yost with the Most, we love your stuff and you've certainly earned some time off.

Just wanted to share-I learned about your site in 2005 when I was "working" (incredibly bored) in Okinawa, Japan (japanese for 'noodle'). I performed a google image search on Indiana's stadium (as I have a fun interest in stadium design) and I came across a picture of Sparty cheerleaders. The link was to your site and being 19 at the time (I'm now a mature 21)I had to look at the cheerleaders (Hell yeah!). I started reading your stuff and kept laughing for hours until my relief arrived.

My father grew up in Ann Arbor and I myself have never spent a full day in the state of Michigan. Nonetheless I am a diehard, proudly brainwashed U of M fan and future alumn someday (I swear it). I mentioned this site to him and to any other Big 10 fan I come across. Everyone who has checked it out has loved your work. Buckstache has also entered my vocab and your postings have remained a reoccuring topic in my father's and my long distance phone conversations (as I have been home for 3 weeks in the last 40 months and outside of N. America for 32 of the last 40 months).

I want to thank you for your hard work and wish you well in the real world (it can suck at times)... and Catie my prayers and wishes are with you as well. Take it easy and go blue hockey (I'd like to say we're national champs in something again). At least OSU can't say that either.

I feel the same way as you do about 12 team conferences and conference championship games. It was just an idea that I put forth if Notre Dame were to join the Big Ten there would now be 12 teams. According to Stewart Mandel's book all other conference championship games, except for the SEC's, do not produce enough revenue. I also like seeing the Big 10 end with UM vs. OSU. I also agree with the fact that Norte Dame taking a post season bowl game slot from the Big East if it does not make it a BCS bowl is just not right.

UM deserved credit, if any, for scheduling the toughest D I-AA team. Unfortunately, the team didn't realize that they were supposed to WIN that game. Fuck.

You're right, Nate. I don't like D I-A teams playing I-AA teams. Maybe it's more acceptable than it was 20 years ago, but teams need a a cupcake game or 2. (If you look at cfbdatewarehouse, you will notice that most OOC schedules before the 90s were a lot harder. In 1988 or 89, UM played Notre Dame and Miami the first two games. UM lost two close games before tying one and winning the rest of the season, including a win over USC in the Rose Bowl.) Some I-AA schools are better than others. App St, Citadel, North Dakota, and Wofford are better than UL-Monroe, FIU, and Idaho, for example.

There should be at least 2 tough OOC games, preferably against BCS opponents. I don't like that UM isn't doing that this year, although Utah is really tough, but 2008 could be a transition year with a new coach. I think that makes it more excusable to have cupcakes.

Miami and FSU are usually tough, even if they haven't been so good in recent years. Miami could get better though. Hawaii and Miami are definitely improvements over Western Kentucky and Troy, who has been passed around the SEC like a groupie.

That whole situation with ND is just silly, period- but it'll never change because of the money involved. Same with the B(C)S.

And I can't believe the Big East agreed to the "late night" contract. Remember in college when a guy'd tell a girl "Hey, if I don't see you maybe I'll call you 'late night'." If the girl ever bothered to break this down doesn't it basically equate to "Hey, if i fail to nail some drunken skank at the bar maybe I'll call and come slobber on you at 3am." ND, thou name art Fratty Fratterson. Man I miss college.

Feelin Blue.....I wasn't really taking a shot at you or UM...I think its ok for teams to schedule one I-AA team every couple of years or so, but they shouldn't try to use it in a strength of schedule argument no matter how good the team is in that division. Even as good as App St. is they lose to UM 99 out of 100 times.

As for the OOC schedule, I agree with you, but the way the system is set up now it doesn't make sense for a team to schedule tough out of conference. Kansas was the ultimate example of this this past year. They played absolutely no one in or out of conference and ended up in a BCS game. You could say the same for Ohio State's OOC this past season, although they have done well at scheduling tough opponents in recent years and I believe they even play USC this season. I have hated WVU's OOC schedule lately, b/c you understandably don't get much respect from winning the Big East. At least we added Auburn and Colorado this season, on top of Maryland which is an average team at least.

Don't worry about it, Nate. I know you weren't making fun. I have some sort of defensive mechanism by which I inadvertently end up preempting any potential shots at UM regarding its loss to App St and it's poor record against Tressel. As you can tell, I am kind of emotionally scarred by these games.

I actually didn't think that WVU's schedule was all that bad. It certainly wasn't the strongest, and by the time that the USF game came around, WVU had one of the lowest RPI's in FBS, but they played Maryland, who is always at least somewhat decent, and Mississippi St, who beat tough teams and made a bowl game, in which it shut down Kevin Smith.

USF really screwed up by dropping 3 in a row. It could have made the championship game. And the thing about Mississippi St is that it's like an ugly guy who hooks up with hot girls who are on the rebound after a big breakup and are vulnerable with lower inhibitions. MSU beat tough teams this year, but those wins came right after those tough teams were coming off tough losses e.g. Auburn after losing to USF, Kentucky after losing to Florida, and Alabama after losing to LSU.

I have my own set of scars. I'm not sure I'll recover from losing to 4-7 Shittsburgh at home at night with the chance to be in the National Championship game. Makes me want to break my keyboard just thinking about it.

App State sucked but still nothing compares to losing to tOSU. I drove 5 hours one way for a SB party to celebrate whatever comes after "Dynasty" with a buddy of mine. That game was like losing to tOSU twice in one season.

You act like this was my first tough loss. Just the latest. Lost to Notre Dame in 88 championship game. Lost to #1 Miami on a last second blocked punt ran back for a touchdown in 98 (I believe), getting blown out by Florida in the 93 Sugar Bowl after an undefeated season. Lets not forget which school held the record for consecutive bowl losses, (until Notre Dame took it from us...ha!).

Losing to OSU sucks all the time. I would take the App St loss over a loss to OSU. The App St. loss was more heartbreaking, if that makes any sense. The game this year just sucked and was a huge disappointment and ruined the year for me. Particularly heartbreaking losses to OSU were 2006 and 2005. I die a little inside each time I think of Anthony Gonzalez's catch and all of the blown opportunities to end that final drive, and the big plays that we gave up in 2006 just kill me.

What if UCLA asked for the same deal in basketball that the domers get in BCS? Tournament selection is dependent upon conference championship or storied program (with remaining slots at large)?

What if ND was suspended from hosting tournaments and championships, and had to change all their logo wear that carries either the dwarf or meadow grass leaf because their nickname falls in a similar category as indian, chief, tribe, feathers, etc.?

The thing is, the NCAA doesn't need them to change, and they no more want to restructure a lucrative product than you would want to have your paycheck cut just because the neighbors can't believe how greedy you are.

Wow. I never realized that. I just checked and found that WVU and Miami (OH) are the only top-20 winningest programs to have never won a natl championship, WVU being ahead of Miami, of course. No wonder you guys are so pissed. Suddenly it all makes sense to me...

I am sure you have plenty of "this is college life and this is your life" material...or you could just piggyback on that "spoon" stuff that all the male readers discovered after that LSU "spoon" pic when we all thought Les "let me hold another press conference that I love my alma mater..." Miles was going to coach in A2...

just some thoughts from a loyal reader in the 616 (who gave you a few things to post)

I stood in a restaurant in Denver giving crap to my friends about 1 second before Stewart's Hail Mary. It was the last time I gloated over any win (or anything). I now opt for smug satisfaction (which seems to be much more annoying anyway).

The other? My first Michigan game as a student. Pouring rain. Two Rocket kick returns for touchdowns. The only redeeming momment was chanting for Elvis in the fourth quarter.

the "rocket" game vs ND I was in Alabama and had the opportunity to get set up with a hot sorority girl and go to the 'Bama home opener, but chose the UM-ND game on ABC (we all know how the game turned out, but I still hooked up anyway with a different southern belle--might have had something to do with speaking proper English, but I digress....)

for the CU game and "the artist before he was known as slash" pass to Westbrook, I was living in Phoenix and NO SPORTS BARS had the game (this was when non-regional games were only available on pay per view via cable and sports bars could not provide that option) so I bought the pay per view in my apartment and when that pass was completed, my neighbors thought I was beating someone I was sooooooo freaking livid!!! OMFG was I throwing an early 20's "I live and die with the maize and blue" tantrum!!!!

i'm a first time poster to the blog, and i gotta say much love. i'm a uga alum and a penn st. fan (dad and uncle went there) but i find myself howling at all the stuff posted here. a couple of points:

a large part of me feels that psu would be better off in the big east. the pitt rivalry used to be so big, but these days it's almost an afterthought. i'd like to add ND to the Big East, keep UM as a rivalry, and take some chances with the OOC scheduling (PSU played Bama a lot in the past--let's renew that one, and maybe some others).

Florida's schedule is ok this year, but one would be hard pressed to find a tougher schedule than UGA's:

GA Southern and Central Michigan: gimmes (i hope).at South Carolina--never underestimate the Spurrier Voodoo.at Arizona St.-- probably a preseason top 10 team.Bama-- Saban's top ranked recruiting class should make for an interesting matchup.Tenn-- Rocky Top always puts up a fight, and they might be playing for fat phil's job.Vandy-- don't laugh--they're better than you might think.at LSU--defending BCS champs at Death Valley--yikes.Florida (in Jacksonville)--they're likely to be pissed after the end zone celebration from last year, and Urban Whiner recruits well (albeit borderline illegally).at Kentucky--The Bluegrass boys will put up at decent fight.at Auburn--The South's oldest rivalry=pure hatred.Georgia Tech--in the words of Mike Hart, they are our "little brother," but we seem to bring out the best in them.

UGA fan - don't expect much from UK next season. They lost the franchise to graduation/draft ect. Looking forward to making it 2 straight with our matchup in Colatown, but UGA's talent for next season has to be somewhere slightly above #1 in the country and just below God. I'm glad we get you guys early in the season every year. You guys seem to warm up slowly and we seem to crash like a brick. Good luck in all but one game next year.

The issue with ND joining a conference isn't so much about the NBC deal or any of that. A lot of it has to do with their ties to USC and especially to NAVY. ND has stated publicly (heard this during a game years ago) that one of their biggest concerns about joining a conference would be losing the NAVY game. They will never take NAVY off their schedule because NAVY almost single-handedly kept the school alive during the "Big War." (WW2) I think it's a little of the same with their rivalry with USC. That being said if they were to join a conference and be forced to play so many conference games it would be more difficult to schedule NAVY and USC in there and they'd never get any diversity in their OOC schedule.

Since we have some cfb schedule talk going, and benefit/detriment of having a I-AA school on your schedule, has Florida State taken a knee next season with two I-AA games (Western Carolina and Chattanooga) on their schedule?

Also, is LSU spinning the chamber with more than one round by going for the opening day number 1 vs. number match up with App St?

bigasshammm - true statement. ND was going under and Navy moved a large portion of its training program to South Bend during WWII. Handshake agreement followed that ND would play Navy every year until otherwise agreed.

Jim,that CU game is the reason I'll never, ever, ever chant "over-rated" again for as long as I live. Two minutes left and we were going nuts in the student section. When Westbrook caught it no one (other than the 1000 or so CU fans- can't believe how loud they were) spoke for like 5 minutes. Total Zombie-ville. It's right up there with Webber's Timeout on my going from "I'm super psyched to who just kicked me in the junk?" list.

UGA, Watch out for Central- they have one of R2's old assistants coaching and they could sneak up on you. They're actually pretty good. (But you guys should still crush them)

Is it just me or is Les Miles getting back at MI in some way by scheduling and beating up on teams that beat MI? First they whoop up and down on TO$U, now they will do the same (presumably) to App State. Who next? Will LSU start going to the Rose Bowl somehow and prove they can win their too?

Catie, I just caught up with the various threads. I'm sorry to hear about your brother. That is a tough decision to face but if it was a long time coming there is some semblance of relief as it finally happens. You know that he will be in a happier place. Peace be with him, you and your family.

As for the Big-10/11. I heard somewhere, they were expanding the schedule to 13 games? If that's the case, they could play everyone now and not have to drop a team. I mean, what's one more EMU on the schedule, right? Heck, even if they stayed with 12 games, they could schedule everyone and have less non-conference games.

As for ND, they aren't going anywhere as long as NBC is paying them the kind of money NBC is paying them. If they go to a conference, they'd have to share that money and I don't see that happening.

As for PSU, one of the guys at work and I were discussing that very possibility. I don't see it happening as PSU is here. Although, Pittsburgh might be a good candidate to make a new Big-12....

Having every team play each other in a 13 game or even 12 game season wouldn't be very good for anyone. You'd never get a measure of how the teams would stack up against non conference opponents. The problem is that they never schedule a decent team to play in non conference games. The big reason there is Money$$. Big schools end up giving millions to these "smaller" schools in order to play them and pad their record. A lot of times this is what keeps the "smaller" schools competitive. If they were to suddenly lose all that money their programs would suffer and thus their recruiting would be hit also. College Football needs to expand to like a 15 game schedule so you can schedule 2 creampuffs, one or 2 out of conference games against better conferences, and leave the other 11 games or so for your in conference battles. It will never happen but it should. There doesn't need to be a 5 week layover between the end of the season and a bowl game.

Or they should do a conference rotation. Where-in the Big Ten is paired with the SEC one year and therefore all out of conference games are played against that conference. Then the next year it would be Big Ten vs. ACC and all conferences would switch. That's a more viable option with today's college football but it still won't happen.

I became a big Michigan football fan as a student there (class of 07), so I wasn't that big into cfb beforehand. Now I am obsessed. Anyways, my friends who were fans from childhood are still scarred by the Colorado game. One friend was crying for a week and his parents had to coax him out of his room. He now looks away everytime he sees the clips of the hail mary. I now understand what he is talking about as I find it difficult to watch the blocked FG. (Damn you Gingell you bastard)

At least ND is appreciative of what Navy did for them. Otherwise tradition is a cheap excuse for not wanting to lose money. It's up to the NCAA to force ND into a conference, but the NCAA wouldn't do it. One rule might be that independent teams can't play in BCS games, or that they can't have more than 2 losses and must have wins over top-ranked teams.

The thing about restricting ND's entry into the BCS is that ND could say that it is as unfair if non-BCS teams can play in BCS games without beating top-ranked teams but ND can't. It was just an idea I threw out. Also, it's not like it will happen anytime soon, but what the rules about Army and Navy playing in the BCS?

Georgia-ASU will be a good game. If Erickson can take a team to 10-3 in his first year, imagine what he can do in his second. ASU must pray that he doesn't leave, because Erickson is even worse than Saban. Also, CMU isn't that much of a gimme because LeFevour (for more cowbell) is a damn good QB and Butch Jones seems to be a good coach.

Also, PSU should be ashamed for refusing to schedule tough teams. I know, ND is supposed to be tough, but it's ridiculous that PSU won't continue its rivalry with Pitt.

With a 13 game season, you have 10 conference games leaving 3 non-conference games. I don't really see a problem with that. Of course, if they dumped PSU, they would have 9 conference games. I think it is more important to have all conference games scheduled since that is the yardstick used for the bowl games. It seems like every year there is 1 Big 10 team left in the cold because they didn't play either Michigan or Ohio State.

but not to sound like a libertarian, but I think the solution to the non-conference games will be the market. The cream puffs are asking for more money and the bigger schools at some point will say, "If we're going to pay that kind of money, we might as well schedule a real opponent". Especially as there is more parity in the NCAA and more knockouts by the creampuffs.

Oh for F's sake Feelin Blue! Don't post any links with "Tressel Beats UM Again" headlines until this whole Terrelle Pryor situation is resolved. I almost had a heart attack. And I'm much too young to have a heart attack unless it involves illicit drugs and raucous scandal-inducing sex. Seeing as I haven't been engaged in either lately (and sadly only one by choice) I feel confident in my cardiothoracic health, please help me keep it this way.

And as an aside, I hope we don't get TP and land the Shepard kid from Texas. Not opening a debate yet, just going on record.

If there were 12 teams, it would be 11 Conference games (a team doesn't play itself). Like I said, I think that everyone in the conference should play. If that means getting rid of a team, so be it.

Every year, there's a team that comes out like gangbusters but they end up not playing OSU or Michigan through a quirk in the schedule. so every year they get punished because, "Well they're good but we don't know how good since they didn't play Michigan or OSU".

With 13 games, you can do 10 conference games and 3 Non-conference games. 3 is plenty in my opinion.

points well-taken about CMU--i forgot how much they like to throw the ball around. i just hope UGA takes them seriously enough. after all, Troy came in last year and gave them a scare.

goat7ed,

yes, FSU is taking a knee with that kind of scheduling. i'm not happy when UGA schedules 1 1-AA team (GA Southern), but I can let it go when it's only once in awhile. but 2 in the same year? Inexcusable. i liked it better when wins over 1-AA teams didn't count towards bowl eligibility.

I just looked over some of our future schedules, and it appears as though we're playing Appy St. in 2013. Mountaineer Fever--catch it while it's hot hot HOT!

I can't stand how there are more FBS teams scheduling more than one FCS teams. Hawaii had to do it because they couldn't get anyone else to fly over. Ga Tech is also playing two FCS teams. One is more than enough.

"If there were 12 teams, it would be 11 Conference games (a team doesn't play itself)."

A team can play with itself, but usually there is a girl in the middle. I saw it in some Japanese movie.

Didn't CU play UGA real close a couple of seasons ago? I agree with the sentiment about CMU. They are a good team and have a history of the upset. Long before UM's shitty AD scheduled ASU, Moo U. taught the nation how to lose to your pre$eason cupcake by dropping 2 in a row to Central.

Fixed that for you OOC- after all, it's easier to live with a bad joke than a case of bad beer.

Anyone hear about the Indiana mess? Bobby Knight must be lighting up killer stogie right about now.

From a football standpoint it makes me wonder if we'll be hearing about this with UCLA and Neuheisel in a few years. After that investigative piece disclosed all the crap that happened while he was at Washington I'm surprised anyone would touch him, much less a storied program like the Bruins.

I want so much to believe Clemens, but I don't know. I heard bits and pieces of the hearing when I was at lunch and based on what I heard they both are likely not telling the whole truth. I thought I heard McNamee say something to the effect of him not knowing what color the liquid in the (some injection didn't hear the name) was even though he administered it. And I heard Roger describe his upbringing by his grandmother and him telling the congressman that he can tell his boys that he played the game the right way. I guess he meant to say, "Except for the brushbacks and the beanballs, oh and for hating that punkbitch Pedro so much."

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